GUL RECEIVES NEW ZEALAND'S GOVERNOR-GENERAL
President Abdullah Gul yesterday received New Zealand Governor-General Sir Anand Satyanand, visiting Ankara for the 94th anniversary of the Battle of Canakkale. At a joint press conference afterwards, Gul said Turkey and New Zealand enjoy a traditional friendship. Stating that the battle forged a common history between the two countries, he added, "This friendship which began on the battlefield today is growing stronger with mutual respect." /Aksam/
IDEF DEFENSE FAIR OPENS IN ISTANBUL
The International Defence Industry Fair 2009 (IDEF) began in Istanbul yesterday with an opening ceremony attended by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul, Chief of General Staff Gen. Ilker Basbug, State Minister and chief negotiator for EU talks Egemen Bagis, military commanders and foreign guests. Addressing the ceremony, Erdogan said that Turkey has always placed great importance on efforts to promote peace in its region and the world. "Ensuring peace and stability in the challenging geography we live in will undoubtedly contribute to global peace and security," Erdogan said. Stating that as a NATO member for nearly six decades, Turkey has been an important stabilizing element in its region and made remarkable contributions to peace and welfare across the world, Erdogan said, "In recent years, Turkey has played key roles in working against threats to regional and global peace such as assuming the important responsibility of overcoming security problems in the Caucasus, keeping communication open between Pakistan and Afghanistan, solving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, mediating between Syria and Israel, and promoting stability in Lebanon." Stressing the strategic importance of Turkey's military power, Erdogan said Turkey offers its military capabilities to help promote regional peace, stability and security. Also speaking at the ceremony, Defense Minister Gonul said Turkey aims to improve its defense industry through mutual cooperation with its friends and allies. "We believe that if Turkey use its local resources and potential effectively, it can contribute much to global peace," he said. Stating that this year's larger defense fair includes naval defense technologies, Gonul said the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) is one of the most technologically developed militaries in the world. He added that in recent years Turkey has stepped up considerably its defense industry research and development efforts. As part of the fair, Turkey is expected to sign defense industry cooperation agreements with Germany, Australia and Syria. Businessmen from 80 countries and more than 400 senior officials, including 25 government ministers, are participating in IDEF, and some 62 percent of the firms exhibiting at the fair are foreign. /Turkiye/
BAGIS: "BY THE TIME THEY ARE READY TO INTEGRATE, BOTH TURKEY AND THE EU WILL BE VERY DIFFERENT"
Turkey is the solution for 80 percent of the problems the European Union faces today, said State Minister and chief negotiator for EU talks Egemen Bagis yesterday. Speaking with French daily Liberation, Bagis said Turkey's membership is essential for the EU to solve its energy security, defense, and economic problems, as well as address issues of regional stability and lagging democratization in neighboring countries. Touching on Turkey's EU accession talks, Bagis predicted that both sides will be dramatically different by the time they are ready to integrate. /Today's Zaman/
US' JEFFREY SUMMONED TO FOREIGN MINISTRY OVER OBAMA STATEMENT
US Ambassador to Ankara James Jeffrey was summoned to the Foreign Ministry over the weekend to hear of Turkey's dissatisfaction with US President Barack Obama's recent message for April 24, the so-called Armenian "genocide" anniversary. Reportedly there was no official protest during the meeting, but ministry officials expressed Turkey's firm reaction to the statement. Ankara denies claims that Armenians were subjected to genocide at the hands of the late Ottoman Empire, saying that the incidents of 1915 occurred when the empire tried to quell an Armenian revolt in cooperation with Russian forces then invading eastern Anatolia during World War I. During these incidents, many Turks lost their lives as well. In his statement, Obama did not use the English word "genocide" but called the incidents a great atrocity, and also employed an Armenian phrase which some say is equivalent to "genocide." Turkish leaders' reaction to the statement was negative. President Abdullah Gul said that the Turks who perished at the hand of Armenians should also be remembered and that everyone's grief should be shared. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the statement an unacceptable and untruthful interpretation of history, adding that historical issues should not be used as political fodder. Erdogan also warned that such statements could harm ongoing reconciliation efforts between Turkey and Armenia. Opposition party leaders also criticized the statement. /Turkiye/
TURKEY, KUWAIT AGREE TO BOOST MILITARY COOPERATION
Chief of General Staff Ilker Basbug yesterday met with his Kuwaiti counterpart Fahd Alameer, on the sidelines of the International Defense Industry Fair 2009 (IDEF) in Istanbul. Before the meeting, the two top commanders signed a memorandum of understanding towards better military cooperation between Turkey and Kuwait. In related news, Turkey and Syria began an unprecedented, three-day joint military exercise on their border yesterday, another step in their expanding cooperation. The drill is due to end tomorrow. /Turkiye
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT TO DISCUSS TURKEY
The European Parliament will discuss Turkey's democratization process in Turkey at its session set for next Thursday. During the meeting, the European Commission will brief the EP about recent developments in Turkey, and issues such as last month's local elections, the ongoing Ergenekon probe, and terrorist detentions are expected to be discussed. /Cumhuriyet/
POLICE, TERRORISTS CLASH IN ISTANBUL
Police teams launched an operation against a suspected terrorist hideout in Bostanci, Istanbul yesterday. A senior police officer and one civilian were killed during the operation, and seven police officers and a cameraman were injured. Also one terrorist was killed in the hideout. Interior Minister Besir Atalay told reporters that the operation had been planned beforehand. "We got a tip that members of a terrorist group were soon planning to stage armed attacks," he said. "Our security forces launched a large-scale operation before sunrise. Nearly 60 houses and places of business were raided. Nearly 40 people, members of extreme-leftist and separatist terrorist organizations, were detained." /All papers/
TUZMEN CALLS FOR STRONGER TURKISH-IRANIAN TRADE TIES
Stronger trade ties between Turkey and Iran could rise to $20 billion annually within five years, said State Minister for Foreign Trade Kursad Tuzmen yesterday. He made the remarks at a seminar in Ankara on boosting trade and investment between Turkey and Iran, with Iranian Commerce Minister Massoud Mirkazemi and many Turkish and Iranian businessmen in attendance. Calling on Iranian officials to remove trade barriers between the two countries, Tuzmen said that if both sides continue to take positive steps, bilateral annual trade could reach $20 billion within five years. Stating that Turkey is committed to carrying out important projects to boost trade with Iran, including a new free trade agreement, Tuzmen said that only a few obstacles remain to starting a mechanism under which both countries' domestic currencies could be used in mutual trade, a step that would be a great relief to the businessmen of both nations, especially amid the crisis environment of globally falling liquidity. Also speaking at the meeting, Mirkazemi said that his country was committed to solving problems and boosting mutual trade as much as possible. He said a list of customs tariffs as part of a preferential trade system with Turkey has been prepared, adding that this would greatly help reach the $20 billion trade target. /Sabah/